


thundering

by IronSwordStarShield (SweetFanfics)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, steve's having a bad day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-11-02 00:55:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20567027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetFanfics/pseuds/IronSwordStarShield
Summary: Anonymous asked: stevetony + “didn’t mean to tell you I love you but it just slipped out’? uwu





	thundering

It’s one of those black days where Steve wakes up and feels drained. Battery at 10%, a message blinks in his head. Please insert charging cable or switch to heavy battery saving mode. 

He stays burrowed in his bed, dozing on and off as melancholy pours off him in waves. Outside, it is doubtless sunny and warm, a gorgeous spring day. But inside it is dark and comforting, the perfect amount of chilly to help him feel cozy under the quilt. Despite the perfect blanket burrito environment, Steve doesn't feel happy. In fact, Steve’s in no mood for company. Heck, he can’t disconnect his tongue from the roof of his mouth. Even that takes too much effort. All he can do is open his eyes every so often, blink sleepily at nothing, roll over, and sleep some more. 

At some point, he wakes up and realizes there’s someone else in bed behind him. There’s a thigh insert between his legs and a hand resting comfortably over his pecs. Steve inhales deeply and the fingers twitch.

“Steve?” Tony asks in the quietest of whispers. “Are you awake?”

In answer, Steve rolls over and burrows his face in Tony’s neck, clinging to him like a child seeking comfort. Well used to this by now, Tony accepts Steve. He lets Steve manhandle him onto his back and makes sure the quilt is covering Steve’s bare back as they settle down again.

The comforting sound of a thunderstorm makes it way through the sleep haze that’s taken over Steve. Hmm. So much for his assumption it was a good day outside. He croaks, “Storming?”

Tony’s fingers squeeze the back of Steve’s neck. “Sunny outside. Told JARVIS to play a thunderstorm noisemaker. It’s supposed to be soothing. Should I turn it off?”

Steve shakes his head, relaxing as he feels Tony’s ribs press against his chest as he breathes. It’s this side of uncomfortable but it’s real. It’s good. Steve presses his mouth to Tony’s jugular and imagines he can feel the pulse of it against his lips. Tony’s fingers are running through his hair, sticking to one spot as they go from root to tip over and over again in an increasingly lazy fashion. Steve feels a bit like a spoiled cat in the moment. He thinks of all the things Tony could be doing in his spare time but instead he’s in bed with Steve; being a comforting presence when Steve feels so lonely in this new world; Steve’s lodestone.

Tears squeeze through his closed eyelids, wetting his lashes. Steve’s not sure if he deserves Tony’s kindness on days like this. He’s not sure he’s capable of enough gentleness to hold Tony’s heart in his clumsy hands and not hurt him. Because he _is _so clumsy and broken and painfully inexperienced.

“Shhh,” Tony whispers in his ear suddenly, lips brushing a kiss on his brow. A gentle hand rises up to wipe the tears away. “I’ve got you. No need to hold it in. Let it out. I’ve got you.”

Oh the love that swells in him, the gratitude. Steve squeezes Tony and finds himself whispering, “I love you.”

Tony jerks underneath him. Naturally so because they’ve never said those three words to each other. Alluded to them use but used them? No. Steve finds himself freezing too, an explanation hurriedly rising up that he didn’t mean to say, it just slipped out.

But then Tony’s hugging him so tightly, so fiercely, that Steve finds himself in the rare position of feeling breathless.

“I love you too,” Tony whispers. “So damn much it hurts some days.”

A fresh wave of tears well up at the confession. Steve returns the too tight hug, swearing to himself that even if he doesn’t consider himself worthy of Tony’s love? He’ll still do his best to do right by Tony. To be worthy of his love. To be someone Tony’ll be proud of.


End file.
